Billiard cue



Patented July 3l, 1928.

UNITED STATES `JOHN n. CARMICHAEL, oF noni/Ionic, rnnnsrnvnma.

BILLIARD CUE;

Application filed August 16`, 1927. Serial No. 213,252.

rlhis invention relates to cues, such as those used tor playing illiards, or pool, and similar games.

' An objectot' this invention is to provide an improved joint for such cues, which will permit ready assembly and disassembly ot the sections, which will be durable, and which will not loosen or wear so' as to permit play between the joined sections, and

this being commonly'accommplished by inserting'and gluing a wooden screw member in one section, the other being bored 'out and threaded to receive the screw. These joints have not been especially satisfactory, part-ly because the Wooden screw threads quickly become worn, precluding tightness of the joint. Also wooden Athreads are not particularly strong, and breakage frequently took place.

Still another cause of lack of success arose from loosening of the screw intended to be permanently mounted in one section. The present invention provides a means of'jointing these cues which overcomes the diliiculties inherent in the joints previously used.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention as applied to a cue, which latter will for convenience be referred to generally as a billiard cue. In the drawings, F ig'. l shows generally a billiard cue jointed according to the invention; Fig. 2 a longitudinal sectional view through the joint of Fig. l; Fig. 3 an elevational view ot the joint insert member; and Fig. l a plan view of the member shown in Fig. 3.

The invention comprises the use ot a screwreceiving metal joint member, adapted to be permanently retained in one section of the cue, and to interact with a metal screw perf manently mounted in the other section. The screw-receiving member is so formed as to resist any relative movement between it and the cue section, and not to be readily worn by continued use, the result being that the jointed sections are engaged tightly, but may be quickly and easily disjointed in the manner intended, Without undue wear.

y Referring tothe drawings, the cue comvprises two sections, a` handle l, and a tip la.

AOne of these sections, preferably that indi# cated by the numeral l, which is the handle section, is provided with a. central axial bore 2, theouter end of which is counter-bored to provide an opening 3, 'of larger diameter as shown in Fig. 2.

'The bores 2 and 3 are adapted tor receive the screw-receiving joint member A shown in F 3 and 4, which comprises a circular base Aportion 4:, and a shank 5, forming an inte-gral structure. The shank is provided with a plurality of longitudinal `angular ribs 6. VFormed on the vbase-and surrounding tlie shank are providedv a plurality of angular teeth or lugs 7. Y c r The member A is provided interiorly with a central openingwhich is' preferably made 'as follows: An opening 8, adapted to re-' ceive the shank of a retaining vscrewwSf, is counter-sunk to form a-ta'peredportion 9, to receive the head of the screw, and the remainder is counter-bored and threaded, indicated at l0, to receive a ointing screw 1l. InY the use of this device,'screw 11 is disposed within section la, inany suitable manner, as shown in Figs. l and 2, and preferably glue isv used to permanently seal it therein. The bore 2, 3 is made of such ksize as to receive and frictionall retain the joint member, the base portion fitting the bore 3 so as to be flush with the face of the section,

and Vthe diameter of bere 2 being equal to that across roots of the ilutings or shanks 5, and the jointmg member is driven therein, the flutmgs and lugs engage the wood of the cue, and when so positioned, retaining screw Sais turned into place. Glue may also be used about member A if desired.

The two sections being thus prepared, they may be readily assembled,` the screw ll` enga-ging the threads formed in bore l0. It will be seen that in jointing or disjointing the cue it will not be possible for the jointing member A to rotate, as it will be securely held against such movement by engagement of the lugs 7 and iutings `6 with the bore in the wood in which member A makes a driven lit. In order to further increase this resistance, the upper end of shank may be formed into a polygonal or noneircular portion l2. The jointing member is also preferably glued into the cue section.

In order to strengthen and prevent ehipping of the section ends and splitting; of the wood, the ends may be provided with ferrules 13 and 13a.

The jointing member and jointing screw may be made :tromV any suitable material which possesses the necessary qualifications but it is preferred to make them from aluminum or aluminum alloy, which combines suitable strength with the lightness necessary to avoid unbalancing ot the cue. Likewise, the terrules may be made ot' the same or similar material. Y

The use of a metal screw securely held in one section and coacting with another metal member retained against all movement in another section adequately prevents the disadvantages inherent in prior joints, among` which may be mentioned loosening ot the screw or wear of the screwor the threads ot" the receiving section. The invention provides a tight, all-metal joint, capable of loi'ig-continned use.

I claim:

l. A jointed billiard cue comprising two sections,`ajointing screw permanently disposed in one section and screw-receiving` jointing member positioned in the other section, said member comprising a circular base, a shank integral therewith, and a threaded bore formed in said base and shank to engage the threads of said jointing screw, said member having` a driven fit in said section to resist relative rotary movements therebetween.

2. VA jointed billiard cue comprising` two sections, a jointing screw permanently disposed in one section and a screw-receiving jointing member positioned in the other section, said member comprising;r a circular base, a shank integral therewith, a plurality of longitudinal ribs on said shank, and a central aXial bore disposed in said member, said bore being counter-bored from the base end and threaded to receive the jointing screw, said member being driven into said section and retained therein by a screw disposed in said bore, the member being positively adapted to resist rotary movements between itself and said cue section.

3. rlhe combination with a billiard cue section having a longitudinal central bore opening irom'the face of the section and counter-bored adjacent said face, of a jointing member disposed therein comprising a circular base portion, a shank rising` therefrom, said shank being provided enteiorlj.7 with a plurality of longitudinal ilutinn's and saidY shankwith a plurality of lugs surrounding said shank, said liirs and liutings engaging the cue frictionally to resist relative movements between said member and cue section, a longitudinal bore centrally formed in said member adapted to receive a retaining screw and to coact with the threads of a jointing screw permanently secured in another cue section.

4l. A jointingmember for billiard cues comprising a circular base portion, a shank integral therewith, a plurality of longitudinal tlutings exteriorlyiormed on said shank and a plurality of lugs formed on said base surrounding' said shank, and a central longitudinal bore formed in said member the base portion being of larger diameter and threaded to receive a cuejointing,Y screw.

In testimony whereof, I sign my name.

JOHN R. CARMICHAETA. 

